2014 Jean-Paul & Benoit Droin Chablis 1er Cru Vaulorent- France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis 1er Cru (1/16/2017)
Served in a Riedel Chard Extreme - Pretty tight and subdued on the nose, which is a mere temporary road block to what’s ahead. Terrific showing on the palate, full of ripe peach that is generous but I wouldn’t call exotic - full of tension and urgency via mineral and smoke qualities. 20% new oak imparts some richness but again, the wines tension not to mention firm acidity translate into an absolute delight of a wine. (93 pts.)
Bill: Couldn’t agree more. This was $40 for a superb high end PC vineyard from a great vintage. I think you would be hard pressed to find something at this level in the popular communes in the Cote D’Or.
Michael: My first Droin - certainly not the last. I was struck by Neal Martins praise a few months back and glad I paid attention.
Mason: Will be on the lookout for the Villages. I did buy some 14 Valmur but I want to give them a few years before looking under the hood.
Alex: I think we get so set in the mind set that only New World wines can be delicious right out of the gate while the serious, grown up wines of Western Europe - especially Burgundy - need time in the bottle to show what they can truly offer. I really don’t think my remaining bottles will make it to 2019. Just great from the word go. If it does improve with 5+ years sidewise, I’m pretty sure I’ll be content reading about it here in wine talk or CT.
In this case, forgiveness would be a virtue that is in your interests. I love their stuff and, in fact, just had a bottle of the '14 Vaulorent myself. . great location “on top” of Preuses, btw, and I’m glad they don’t label it with Fourchaume.
2014 Jean-Paul & Benoit Droin Chablis 1er Cru Vaulorent - France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis 1er Cru (11/24/2022)
I have both good news and bad news to report on this wine. The Bad: If you are drinking any other Chablis from any producer at any price from the vintages of 2015 and upwards, I feel confident it will come up short in terms of the classic Chablis character exhibited by this wine. The Good News: This was was simply divine and a museum quality testament of how proper Chablis should taste. Opens with a sliver of slightly unripe Granny Smith apples, and then its a tide pool hot tub of Chablis goodness - iodine, oyster shells, ocean brine, crustacean sweetness, and then concludes with a terrific wave of powdered stone and dry extract. Great length too. Almost shed a tear when finished the bottle. (95 points)
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